Suction cleaner



D. M. DOW

SUCTION CLEANER Now 5, 1935.

Filed April 13, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 5, 1935.

D. M. Do w SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 13, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VII/fill annun-nZ-i-i-i- Nov. 5, 1935.

D. M. DOW

SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 SUCTION CLEANER Dewey M. Dow, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Air- Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a. corporation of Delaware Application April 13, 1933, Serial No. 665,992

3 Claims.

My invention relates to suction cleaners in general, including both the type that cleans by suction and mechanical agitation combined and the type that cleans by suction without brushing, but in either event, has as its purpose to improve the efliciency of the suction cleaning function per se.

It will be understood that the function of cleaning by suction, as it is popularly termed, may more aptly be described as cleaning by the erosive action of air, and that the suction cleaner in general is provided with means for spacing the lips of the floor tool away from the surface being cleaned, so as to provide a floor opening, cleaning being effected by the sweeping of the surface below said lips by the air currents rushing into the floor tool through said opening, and lifting of foreign material by air currents passing through the carpet. Tests have shown that cleaning efliciency depends primarily upon air flow, and most cleaners in use at the present time, depend upon a blower which, although producing a relatively low static suction, is yet ca pable of handling considerable volume of air, and also has the desirable attribute of being able to handle solid material such as dust, lint, etc., without becoming clogged. This type of cleaner employs an open bladed fan having ample blade clearance (between the tips of the blades and the blower case) which is responsible both for the easy handling of solid material and the failure to produce a high static suction (the amount of suction which the blower can exert against a closed space). This type of cleaner ordinarily develops a fairly high working suction, which is measured as the amount of pressure drop through the normal floor opening while the blower. is pulling a normal volume of air through said opening, and discharging the same through a normal dust collector against the resistance of the latter.

Another type of cleaner is one which employs a high suction type fan, located beyond the dust collector, remote from the floor tool, and which develops a relatively high static suction, but a relatively low working suction and a low volume of air flow.

It has been said that a cleaner which shows a. wide difference between static suction and working suction, is not an eflicient cleaner, and that the most eflicient is the one that shows the least difference. I find, however, that this ruleshould be amplified so as to state that maximum efficiency is secured in a cleaner which possesses high static suction producing capacity and a normal floor opening, allowing passage of ample volume of air, and in which the working suction produced in the air columnflowing through said normal floor opening, most nearly approaches the static suction figure. The present invention aims to secure this result in a cleaner capable of han- 5- dling solid material without difliculty.

The end is attained by impressing upon the column of air being moved by a primary blower of the open bladed fan type, the suction pull of a secondary blower of high static suction design,

of the dust collecting apparatus, which is made of impervious material to preserve the pressure differential created by this blower.

The pervious dust arrestor is interposed across the path of all air passing through the collector, serving both for the deposition of the foreign material within the collector, for later disposal, and as a barrier to protect the high static suction blower from solid material.

The pull of the secondary blower acts first against the dust arrestor, on the side opposite that which receives the discharge from the primary blower, creating a negative pressure or partial vacuum within the impervious casing on that side, so as to pull the dust-freed air through the arrestor. That portion of the pull of the secondary blower that is not used up in overcoming the resistance of the arrestor, is transmitted to the floor tool, and impressed upon the moving column of air being handled by the primary blower, increasing the pressure differential under which the air column moves, and securing the startling result of tripling of the working suction of the high static suction cleaner mentioned, while surpassing the static suction thereof; and nearlydoubling both working and static suction of the high working suction cleaner mentioned.

One of the characteristics of a blower of open bladed fan design, is its'greater relianceo'n mo:

mentum of the movingair column, for maintaining air-flow volume, and theconseque'nt sensitivity of the air column to-changes in the area of the fioor opening. By impressing the higher suction upon the air column, the tendency of fluctuations in area of the near opening to affect air volume, is decreased.

A further object of the invention is to provide for sanitary disposal of collected dust, etc. 7

Another object is to provide an improved dust collector assembly,'including a renewable dust arrestor and a casing enclosing the same, together 56 with an arrangement connecting the same to the cleaner in such a way that changing of the arrestors is facilitated.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination and construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof,

whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of parts of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the dust collecting device.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the invention embodied in a different type of cleaner.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a further modification of the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

In Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated the invention with a common type of cleaner embodying a suction nozzle III, a suction neck connected thereto, a valve case |2 to which the neck II is connected, a hollow suction handle l3 connected also to the valve case I2, a valve H for selectively connecting either the suction neck II or the suction handle l3 to the primary blower chamber l5 of the blower case l6, and an electric motor I! secured to said blower case It.

The discharge neck of the primary blower chamber I5 is indicated at l8, and is adapted to receive either a bag connecting nipple 9, or in the absence of the dust collecting mechanism, a delivery tube for spraying comminuted material.

In the fan case It is formed the high suction blower chamber 20, and the inlet passage 2| leading thereto.

The dust collecting mechanism includes an impervious casing 22 which has a mouth to allow the insertion of a dust arrestor 23, preferably of the destructible or throw-away type. A satisfactory method of forming the mouth in the casing 22 is to provide the casing in the form of an open ended shell or cup, the open end being attached to a cap plate 24 which may be formed rigidly on the fan casing IS, with the opening 2| extending through it. The plate 24 may be shouldered as at 25 to receive the casing 22.

Any suitable means for supporting the opposite end of the casing may be employed, such as a sliding latch device 26.

It will now be seen, that with the casing 22 sealed tightly against the cap plate 24, a substantially air tight passage, connects the discharge of the passage 21 of the low suction blower with the inlet passage 2| of the high suction blower. By employing a dust arrestor in the form of a porous bag of paper, fabric, or any suitable filtering material, and attaching the neck 28 of said bag to the bag connecting nipple 9, a foraminous barrier is placed across the passage between the two blowers so as to arrest all solid material passing therethrough.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the dust is retained inside of the bag 22, and the latter is supported and spaced away from the side walls of the casing 22 by means of a sleeve 29 of pervious material, preferably wire netting.

Thus the air is allowed to escape through the entire area of the bag wall, and to return through the space between the bag and the casing inlet 2 I.

The dust arrestor 23 is preferably of porous paper, combining exceedingly effective filtering qualities with cheapness. When filled, the bag is removed and disposed of, as by burning, and a new one substituted. In this way, the housewife need not come into contact with infectious cleaner bag filth.

An alternative form of dust collector is, shown in Fig. 5, wherein the low suction blower discharge -passage 21a discharges directly into the space between the dust arrestor 23a, through a pervious supporting sleeve 29a positioned on the inside of the arrestor to prevent collapsing, and thence to the inlet 2 a or the high suction blower.

In this form of the invention, the supporting sleeve 29a may be secured to a flange 30 formed on the cap plate 24a, and dust will be collected in the casing 22a instead of inside of the dust arrestor.

0n the motor shaft 3| of the motor I! are mounted the low suction blower fan 32 and high suction blower fan 33. The latter is shown as a shrouded fan, while the former is an open bladed fan suitable for handling solid material. It will be understood that any type of high suction fan may be employed, such as a shrouded fan, a fan with high suction blade design or a fan with close blade clearance.

The preferable method of disposing of the air after it passes through the high suction blower is to lead it through the housing of the motor I! for ventilating and cooling purposes.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the modification thereof shown in Fig. 5, embody an arrangement wherein the discharge passage 21 of the primary blower, is positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dust collector, the cap plate 24 is normal to said axis, the mouth of the casing 22 is normal to the casing, the casing is parallel to and its upper region lies closely beneath the handle i3, and the discharge passage 2! lies substantially in the plane of the blower chamber l5. In order to secure this arrangement, the motor axis is positioned normal to the aligned handle |3 and suction neck arranged on a common axis, the three forming a T, and the suction nozzle I 0 and motor H are supported on floor wheels 40 and 4| respectively, with the motor inclined downwardly and rearwardly beneath the fan case l6.

Fig. 4 illustrates the invention applied to a pivoted handle type of cleaner, wherein the suction nozzle is indicated at llb, the low suction fan chamber at l5b, the low suction fan at 32b, the low suction discharge passage at 21b, the high suction inlet passage at 2|b, the high suction blower chamber 20b, the high suction blower fan at 33b, and the motor at Ilb.

Supported upon the pivoted handle 34 is the impervious dust collector casing 22b containing a dust collecting bag 23 supported by a foraminous supporting sleeve 23.

Connection between the bag 23 and the discharge passa'ge 21b of the low suction blower is made by means of a flexible tube 35, and connection from the casing 22b to the inlet passage 2 lb of the high suction blower is made by a similar flexible tube 38, whereby the handle may pivot and the dust collector may move relative to the suction mechanism.

Any suitable means for disconnecting the flexible tubes 3536 may be employed such as the gland nuts 31.

In Fig. 6 and 7 I have shown the invention embodied in a cleaner of the runner supported type. This cleaner embodies the supporting run- 2,019,896 ners 40, the cylindrical casing 39 supported thereon, the motor l'lc mounted in one end of the casing, and secondary and primary blowers 33c, 32c, respectively, mounted on the motor shaft 3l c.

The secondary blower 330 is mounted adjacent the motor He and the primary blower 32c is positioned atthe opposite end of thegcasing, the primary blower case I60 forming an end cap for the casing 39.

The dust arrestor 23c in the form of a renewable bag of pervious material, is secured by the coupling member iii 'to the discharge neck We of the primary blower, and is coiled around a sleeve 4| of wire mesh or the like which surrounds the shaft 3lc. A spacing sleeve 29c is inin the sleeve may be disclosed by lifting of the cover.

Should it be desired to use the cleaner for handling comminuted disinfectant material, the cover 42 may be lifted and connection made with the discharge neck I80.

The cover 42, in conjunction with that portion of the casing 39 which lies beneath it, forms a dust collector casing or chamber 220, in which the dust arresting bag 23 is removably received, the dust collector casing-in this case being detachable from the motor casing only in the sense that the cover 42 may be lifted to disclose the collector chamber 220.

The chamber 220 is formed between the inner wall 43 of the primary blower case l6c, the cover 42 and adjacent casing wall, and an annular partition 44. On the other side of the partition 44 is formed the secondary blower chamber 200, which also serves to accommodate the motor He. The intake passage for the secondary blower chamber 20c is formed by the collar 2lc on the annular partition 44, or may simply constitute a central aperture in said partition.

In the operation of the device, dust laden air is sucked through the suction neck I l by the primary blower, and delivered through the discharge passage 21 into the dust collector, wherein it is arrested on one side of the dust arrestor 23.

Suction is applied to the other side of the dust arrestor by means of the high suction blower 33, and since the dust collector casing 22 is impervious and is virtually sealed in connection with the passages 2 l--2|, the suction of the blower 33 will be transmitted through the entire air passage to the suction nozzle l0, thus reinforcing and supplementing the suction of the primary blower 32.

Removability of the dust collector serves the primary function of disposal of collected dust, and the secondary function of allowing the attachment of a distributing nozzle to the discharge of the primary blower, whereby the latter may be employed for handling comminuted material.

It is essential that the casing 22 be of relatively impervious material, since cloth, such as is used in the ordinary cleaner bag, will not support the partial vacuum which must be produced in the casing in order that the suction of the supple mentary blower may be transmitted substantially full strength to the nozzle.

Following are some of the advantageous results secured by the invention:

1. Without increasing the size of the motor,

the cleaner may be made to handle a normal volume of air under a working suction nearly double that of prior single blower cleaners designed for handling solid material through the blower.

2. The static suction producing capacity of the cleaner may be stepped up to nearly double that of the said prior cleaner.

3. The size of the low suction blower fan can be reduced, and a high suction fan of a very efficient type can be employed, without fear of memcient operation through interference of solid material.

4. Back pressure on the primary blower caused by resistance of the dust arrestor to the passage of air therethrough, is eliminated by the creation of a partial vacuum on the other side of the arrestor, pulling the air through the filtering medium under high suction.

5. The life of the dust arrestor during which it can function efficiently is increased, owing to the capacity of the high suction blower to offset the building up of back pressure by the clogging of the pores of the dust arrestor.

6. The downwardly and rearwardly inclined motor arrangement makes it possible to hang the dust arrestor from the handle, with its mouth located at its lower end, and largely supported by gravity in contact with an interfltting closure member formed on or supported by, the blower case-motor assembly. With a. single latch connection at the upper corner of the casing, it is thus supported securely and yet is very easily removed.

7. Removal of the outer casing is accomplished by longitudinal movement parallel to the handle of the cleaner, the dust arrestor remaining attached during such removal, and the connecting nipple l9 and associated parts offering no resistance to such movement, owing to the fact that the movement is parallel to the axis of the nipple. This is a very distinct advantage from the standpoint of changing the inner renewable arrestor bag.

I claim as my invention:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a suction conduit for connection to a suction tool, a dust collector including a relatively impervious casing and a dust arrestor, an open bladed primary blower to exert suction against said conduit, discharging into said dust collector on one side of the arrestor, and a supplementary blower communicating with the space in said casing on the other side of said arrestor, arranged to exhaust air from said casing, said supplementary blower having a considerably higher static suction producing capacity than that of the primary blower, so as to impress its suction upon the air stream flowing in said conduit, said conduit, primary blower, casing, and supplementary blower being arranged, in the order indicated, to form a. substantially gas tight, continuous air passage, and the dust arrestor being arranged to intersect the path of the entire air stream flowing through said passage, between said primary and secondary blowers.

2. A suction cleaner comprising a handle and a blower case formed with primary and supplementary blower chambers, a suction passage leading into, and a discharge passage leading out of the primary chamber, and an intake passage leading into said supplementary chamber, said intake and discharge passages terminating adjacent each other in an exterior face of the case, an open bladed fan in the primary chamber, exhausting into said discharge passage, a high suction fan in ing at a point remote from its mouth, and holding the latter in engagement with said face.

3. A suction cleaner comprising a handle and a blower case formed with low and high suction blower chambers, a suction passage leading into, and a discharge passage leading out of, the low suction chamber, and an intake passage leading into the high suction chamber, and a cap plate in which said intake and discharge passages terminate, open bladed and high suction fans in the respective chambers, the former exhausting into said discharge passage and the latter exerting suction against said intake passage, and a duct collector comprising a rigid casing having a mouth at one end fitted to and engaging said cap plate, and a dust arrestor therein, interposed between said intake and discharge passages, arranged to intersect the path of the entire air stream flowing therethrough, and a latch device on the handle releasably engaging and supporting the opposite end of the casing, and holding the mouth thereof in engagement with the cap plate.

DEWEY M. DOW. 

